One me, another me and another other

'Wake up to reality Zayn El. Dean.'

'It's become clear - I am living in the world of Dragon Ball. Despite my attempts to refute the bizarre realities unfolding before my eyes, the evidence has been relentless. From the flying police vehicles to the spherical architecture of the town, the humanoid creature casually enjoying ice cream, and the undeniable confirmation - the Capsule Corporation.'

Under the unfamiliar Criminal Injuries Compensation Act, Zayn found himself the recipient of funds that helped him, at least temporarily. He used the money to hail a taxi, heading straight for the Capsule Corporation building without a plan. The common saying in his original world, 'seeing is believing,' suddenly felt like an attack on his understanding of reality.

"Where to from here?" A sigh escaped Zayn as he sank down, his back against a wall. Physical exhaustion paired with mental fatigue was taking its toll. He watched the people and vehicles move around him, everyone going about their day while he grappled with his new existence.

His stomach growled - hunger, a reminder of his immediate problems. 'What am I going to do? I barely have money for a couple of days, let alone a place to live. And how does my existence here impact the timelines? Shouldn't my arrival here create a new green time ring? Why haven't the time patrollers interfered?'

In the world of Dragon Ball Super, five time rings indicate different timelines. Zayn purchased a notebook and pen from a nearby store, hoping to make sense of his situation. Despite re-watching Dragon Ball multiple times, reading fanfics, and delving into fan theories in his previous life, he was struggling to apply the logic of timelines to his new reality.

He began to write:

{Three parallel worlds exist within the main continuity: Goku's reality, Future Trunks' reality, and Future Cell's reality. Beyond that, other realities are implied through characters and their actions, like where Future Trunks & Mai ended up.}

{Then there's the superhero and Dragon Ball GT continuity where Beerus never arrived on Earth. In one, Goku ventures to the celestial dimension of dragons, and in the other, Xeno Goku fights against time paradoxes. Each time a Supreme Kai is slain, a new time ring - and thus, a new timeline - is created. But considering Goku Black and Zamasu killed their Universe 10's Supreme Kai three times...}

{This means the idea of only five distinct timelines in the Dragon Ball universe doesn't add up. Unless... when multiple timelines follow identical sequences of events, do they converge into one?}

"Damn, this is even more confusing than I initially thought."

He continued writing, now focusing on the branching of most timelines after Goku's defeat of Frieza. 'Where am I in the story? Am I in a time before or after a split? If Beerus was already here when I arrived, that implies there's no more timeline splits. However, if I landed in a time before Frieza was defeated, there might be four versions of me existing in the Dragon Ball universe. That's because, besides the main storyline, three other timelines are created by Future Trunks and Cell.'

(Author note- The fifth green time ring's timeline was influenced by someone in Universe 12 long ago and led to the creation of the first time ring. However, this doesn't have much to do with Universe 7's timeline mess)

'What if I gather the dragon balls? Will a sixth time ring appear? Or has it already? Or will there be four more rings - identical events but with my existence added to the equation? Or maybe, since I'm originally from outside this reality,

*Image here simplifying everything*

'God damn it, and now if I go on to get the dragon balls would a 6th time ring appear, or has it already? Or will there be on top of the current 5 present rings 4 more where the with identical events carry on but with just me being in the picture. Or no! maybe I am an entity that only exist in a singular timeline at a time since from the beginning I don't belong to any line in this reality??'

Exhaling heavily, Zayn recognized the futility of this line of thought. He needed to focus on more immediate problems, like finding shelter and food. After an hour of wrestling with the complexities of the timelines, he came to a sobering realization: even the creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, might not fully comprehend the complexities he introduced through time travel.

Rising from his perch, he dusted off his trousers and began to navigate the nightlife. It was about 8:00 PM when Zayn started exploring the area, inquiring about affordable housing.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Zayn called out as he walked into a quaint inn, suggested to him for its reasonable rates. It was surprisingly empty but well-maintained, emanating a warm, homely vibe despite its unusual decor.

"Ah, a guest at this late hour. Seeking a room for the night? Breakfast is included," a voice chimed.

After an amicable negotiation with the trustworthy innkeeper, Zayn retired to his room. It was simple: a single bed, a window with curtains, and a desk with a few refreshments. Zayn was particularly tempted by the latter but couldn't summon the energy to leave the inviting bed.

'Tomorrow will be a long day, filled with uncertainty and potential missteps. The Time Patrollers haven't bothered me yet, so perhaps I shouldn't be overly cautious about altering this world's events. I need power to survive, to avoid depending on the Z fighters. If I ended up in Future Trunks' erased timeline or the unseen fourth timeline with Cell, I'd need to be prepared.'

Almost reflexively, Zayn reached for his new iPhone. Expecting to surf social media and catch up with world news, he was abruptly reminded of his new reality. 'Well, at least I saved all my favorite songs and albums. A piece of my old world with me,' he thought as lofi beats started playing softly from his iPhone.

Lying back and closing his eyes, Zayn began brainstorming ways to earn money here. His expertise as a chemical engineer could be useful, but he wasn't sure how the laws of this universe lined up with his old one. Moreover, Zayn was more intrigued by the magical and supernatural aspects of this world. 'Could I perhaps sell some of my iPhone's technology to Capsule Corporation? That could even lead to meeting Bulma, if she's been born yet.'

He couldn't remember the calendar of this world - who could, really?

Yawning, Zayn decided to call it a night. He set a series of alarms and headed to the washroom to freshen up.

Setting up 7 consecutive morning alarms that have 5-minute intervals in between them. Zayn went to wash up and got ready to go to bed.

He took off his black rimmed glasses and placed it to his right on a bedside table. He was going to check on social media apps once again but caught himself, chuckling lightly at the recurring forgetfulness. The first laughter he shared in this world was at his own expense, but it somehow eased his nerves.

As he closed his eyes, his thoughts wandered towards the dream world, leaving behind the peculiar reality of his day.

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